Washing machine



A ril 26, 1938? G. B. BISHOP WASHING MACHINE Filed April 6, 1937 Patented Apr. 26, 1938 UNITED STATES ,A'rsrrr or ies 7 Claims.

This invention relates to washing machines, and an object of the same is to provide a simple form of clothes agitating or washing assembly in the nature of an attachment embodying relatively few parts which may be arranged comable container, the attachment being adapted for use with varying types of agitators.

Another object of the invention is to provide in mechanism of this type an-efficient and yet at the same time highly simplified form of agitator.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent in View of the following description taken in conjunction with the drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view in transverse section of a wash tub having applied thereto a washer assembly or attachment embodying the features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the attachment or assembly removed from the tub;

Figs. 3 and 4 are views similar to Fig. 2 of modified forms of attachments.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the numeral Ill generally designates a Wash tub or similar container which at its upper-end is provided with the conventional reinforcing head or rim I I.

The mechanical clothes washing attachment of Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a drive shaft l2 of sufficient length to extend across the top of the tub. 35 This shaft is adapted to be mounted in detachable bearings or hangers i3 and It.

Shaft hanger I 3 is provided with a plurality of bearing slots I5 and a and hanger [4 with bearing holes l6 and Ilia which mate or register 40 with slots l5 and 15a when the hangers are secured in alignment on the tub. The hangers are each provided with a clamp bracket or clip I! which may be a flat piece of steel or the like having its upper end offset and secured to the 45 side of the hanger as by means of bolt Ila. Each hanger is also grooved, as at 18, the beaded edge ll of the tub engaging in said groove.

In order to apply hangers l3 and 14, it is only necessary to clip them over the edge of the tub,

50 it being preferred to have each clip I! sufiiciently resilient or resiliently secured as to enable the clip to spring over the bead. Thus the hangers may be easily and quickly applied and removed. Another advantage of this type of hanger is that 55 the shaft l2 together with the dashers or agitamay be welded or otherwise permanently secured as shown are similarin construction, said blades tor paddles carried thereby may be raised and lowered at will according to the amount of clothing being washed at one time, to thereby facilitate the washing operation.

One end of the shaft 12 is provided with a foldable handle 19, the handle being hinged at 20 to the said shaft in a manner such as to hold the handle and shaft rigidly connected when the shaft is rotated or oscillated and at the same time permit the handle to be folded down fiat on the L10 shaft as indicated by the dotted line position in Fig. 1.

The agitator shown in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a supporting arm or bracket 2| which is ribbed to give added strength. As shown herein, the arm 21 is provided with a central shaft-receiving lug which is formed with a shaft hole and is detachably connected to theshaft i2 by means of a pin or bolt 22. If desired however, the arm 2! to the shaft. However, by utilizing a detachable 2O connection at this point, various types of agitators such as those shown in Figs. 3 and 4 may be more readily applied on the shaft I2. The arm 21 is provided with blades or paddles 23 and 23a which 25 each being curved inwardly or of concave-convex formation. By utilizing blades of this type, on the downward or forward stroke of each blade, the edge of the bladefirst moves into a horizontalposition with respect to the bottom of the tub, thereby minimizing or eliminating danger of the clothes being torn or mutilated due to jamming between the bottom of the tub and the blade. This construction also makes added room for clothing between the agitator blades and serves to retain the clothing in the most effective position for cleansing. The dasher arm and dashers or agitator blades may be and preferably are of die cast aluminum and may be cast in sections with one blade and half of the arm and lug forming a section.

Figs. 3 and 4 show modified forms of agitators with respect to that shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In

.Fig. 3 the agitator paddles are indicated at 24 and 24a. and are connected by arched brace supports or strips 25 providing a skeleton construction which permits the water to circulate freely through the clothing and around the blades while at the same time preventing the clothing from working above the blades. The dasher or agitator is connected by means of bracket 26 to shaft 21, the latter being provided with a fixed handle 28. The blades or paddles in both Figs. 1 and 3 are provided with holes 29 which permit 5 passage or circulation of water through the blades during the clothes agitating operation. In Fig. 4 the blades or paddles 30 are of slightly different contour and are connected by a single supporting arm or bracket 3|. The paddles 30 in Fig. 4 are substantially flat, although it will be understood that they may be given the curved contour of the blades illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. In Fig. 4 the agitator shaft is indicated at 32 and is provided with a fixed handle 33, which instead of being given a crank shape as shown in Fig, 3, is formed substantially straight as in Fig. 1.

From the foregoing it will be noted that the attachment in its various forms is exceedingly simple in construction and design, may be easily and quickly applied to and removed from the tub, and is efficient in operation. Washing attachments of this type are particularly advantageous and convenient for tourists or people who travel and do their own washing while traveling, since they may be arranged compactly when not in use and quicldy and easily set up for operation. Also, the apparatus may be manufactured and sold at a relatively low cost, or at a cost commensurate with its market.

It will be understood that certain changes in construction and design may be adopted within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A washing machine attachment comprising in combination with a tub, a drive shaft extending across the top of the tub, agitators connected to said shaft, and hanger brackets mounted on the tub and detachably mounting the opposite ends of said shaft for rotation therefrom, said brackets being provided with a plurality of vertically stepped shaft-receiving bearing openings.

2. In a washing machine, a detachable agitator assembly comprising a drive shaft extending across the top of the tub, a hanger bracket detachably mounted on the tub and rotatably supporting the end of said shaft, said bracket being provided with a plurality of and vertically extending bearing slots for said shaft, and means whereby said shaft may be manually oscillated.

3. As an article of manufacture, a detachable clothes washing assembly for use with a Wash tub comprising a shaft adapted to extend across the top of the tub, and an agitator comprising blades formed with an integral connecting portion defining the body of the agitator and a yoke-shaped mounting bracket member secured at opposite ends to the agitator and at an intermediate portion secured to said shaft, and mean-s whereby said shaft may be oscillated.

4. As. an article of manufacture, a washing machine attachment comprising a shaft adapted to extend across a wash tub, brackets providing bearings for opposite ends of said shaft and having means whereby the brackets may be detachably clamped to the edge of the tub, agitator blades, a yoke-shaped bracket connecting said blades to one another, means detachably connecting said bracket to said shaft, said shaft being provided with an upwardly projecting handle for manually oscillating the same.

5. As an article of manufacture, a washing machine attachment comprising a shaft adapted to extend across a Wash tub, brackets providing bearings for the opposite ends of said shaft and having a plurality of vertically stepped shaft-receiving bearing openings, means whereby the brackets may be detachably clamped to the edge of the tub, agitator blades, 2. yoke-shaped mounting bracket connecting said blades to one another, means detachably connecting said mounting bracket to said shaft, and a handle for said shaft.

6. As an article of manufacture, a washing machine attachment comprising a shaft adapted to extend across a wash tub, brackets providing bearings for opposite ends of said shaft, at least one of said brackets having vertically stepped and vertically extending open bearing slots for said shaft, means whereby the brackets may be detachably clamped to the edge of the tub, agitator blades, a yoke-shaped mounting bracket connecting said blades to one another, means detachably connecting said mounting bracket to said shaft, and a handle for said shaft.

7. As an article of manufacture, a washing machine attachment comprising a shaft adapted to extend across a wash tub, brackets providing bearings for the opposite ends of said shaft and having a plurality of vertically stepped bearing openings adapted to receive the opposite ends of said shaft, means whereby the brackets may be detachably clamped to the edge of the tub, agitator blades, a yoke-shaped mounting bracket connecting said blades to one another, means connecting said bracket to said shaft, and a handle movably associated with said shaft.

GUS B. BISHOP. 

